Who still makes long bars besides Canon?

[2dogs]

That is a very reasonable question. Two parts to the answer.

I sometimes cut up fairly big wood, and I need really flat and true surfaces to be able to read the wood grain well, and to not waste any wood. For some work, if I have to trim even an inch off a block to clean it up it can make the final turned piece much smaller.

Second part is that I admit I've never cut where a 42 inch bar would not reach halfway, I've had it only reach halfway by a couple of inches. But then I end up with a surface that is not perfectly flat, and lose valuable size in the pieces I can get from the wood.

So in truth I can get by without a bar longer than 42 inches, but I would sometimes make life simpler and better. And I am not getting younger, so seems like if I'm going to get one I should just do it. (The mid life crisis sounding part of it all.)

Here's a pic I've posted before of a piece that is only 53 inches where I am cutting it, but a longer bar than my 42 would have been handy, especially on site where they want me to cut fast and get out of there. Also sometimes if a big stick is being craned, then it is easier and quicker to be able to cut off a big piece from one side of the log in one pass.

http://www.billluce.com/pumkinjpgs/pumkinjpgs/8557.JPG

Sometimes the wood I am blocking is very expensive and valuable, like certain fancy big leaf maple or large madrone burls. So it's criticl that I maximize my yield from the wood. For example, it's easy for 3or 4 big madrone burls to cost me over $5000, besides the fact I have to drive almost a thousand miles to bring them home. So dead accurate cutting is critical. Some of that slabbing is done with one of my alaska mills, and there have been times when I need a longer bar than a 42 incher when slabbing these burls.

Sounds like you need a Lucas Mill with the slabing attachment. And after you buy one can I borrow it? Thanks in advance.

I do wish Stihl only had one size mount but I suppose they had a good reason to bump the size up.

 

[B_Turner]

Do you lay awake nights wondering about how many dollars you're losing in the kerf?

You can laugh, but a few of the madrone burls were so expensive and so magnificent in parts of them a big part of my decision making process was how to minimize the waste from the kerf. Sometimes I will carry pieces as much as 300 lbs inside to use the bandsaw because of it's narrow kerf, but it is a backbreaker.

Also I bought some chain a few years ago that although it is 3/8 it is really narrow for certain cuts to squeeze a bit more size out of the blocks. I think it was designed for pole pruners or something. Narrow but really aggressive, so I only use it for special occasions.

What is really painful is all the waste wood I generate from trimming blocks to turn, and then all the waste from shaping and coring on the lathe. I am not exagerating when I say from a 5000 lb trailer load of burls, the finish product probably doesn't weigh 100 lbs total.

 

[oldsaw]

I should try out your 088 someday. Was that an 084 that I ran that one time in the alder? To be honest I thought that saw was smoother than my 066.

One thing that has slowed me down on buying an 880 is that the bars only fit that saw. So all the bars I have for my 066 won't fit while with the 3120 will run any of my bigmount husky bars.

Edit: I am leaning toward buying an 880. I have a feeling that this time I am not going to be able to resist the urge...hehe...

You can also buy the adapter to use regular mount Stihl bars on a 3120. That was the deal clincher for me. I can run the same bar and chain on the 066 if the 3120 has problems. I couldn't see going out to spend another wad of cash on another 42" bar. Saved me some big bucks.

Mark

 

[Lakeside53]

heck, I just leave the "right" length bar on the right saw.... and grab the one I need....

 

[ciscoguy01]

Cutting edge

I called Steve and scott for a 48" bar the other day, I'm not 100%, but I think they had a GB for like $80... I'm not 100%, but they did have like 2 or 3 monster sized bars on the shelves last time I was there. Look on here for sponsors and click on The Cutting Edge link for their number. I know they can point you in the direction dude...

 

[Dennis Cahoon]

One thing that has slowed me down on buying an 880 is that the bars only fit that saw. So all the bars I have for my 066 won't fit while with the 3120 will run any of my bigmount husky bars.

You can file down the bar studs on the 084/088 and any of those 066 bars will work.

 

[Lakeside53]

hmmm.. Dennis.. I can't use JB Weld, but you can use a file lolololololol


Hey Bill - If it's important, I can turn turn them down real nice on my lathe... Then you use rings to adapt them out to any big mount bars

The oversized repair studs from the 056 might just fit anyhow... I'll have to check though.

 

[andrewspens]

Heres another idea

I happen to know where there is a lucas mill locally. Also, a woodmizer and three kilns. The owner happens to be a real nice guy who can probably be talked into milling your bigger stuff and even drying it for you. Next time you are down Pierce county way, head to a guy running a shop by the name of nw wood. NWWOOD.com has directions to his shop (barn) and his contact info. Chris is a great guy and will most likely be able to help you out, even if you just want to see his lucas running. Tell him Andrew from lakewood sent you, might help me next time I go to see him.

 

[B_Turner]

I happen to know where there is a lucas mill locally. Also, a woodmizer and three kilns. The owner happens to be a real nice guy who can probably be talked into milling your bigger stuff and even drying it for you. Next time you are down Pierce county way, head to a guy running a shop by the name of nw wood. NWWOOD.com has directions to his shop (barn) and his contact info. Chris is a great guy and will most likely be able to help you out, even if you just want to see his lucas running. Tell him Andrew from lakewood sent you, might help me next time I go to see him.

For the kind of work I do, I need full control of the cutting of each block out of the tree - it's critical to the piece. And the drying process is much different with woodturners than with the timber and lumber folks.

But it sounds like a very interesting place and person to meet. I will definitely look them up. I love wood, and can spend hours in what my wife calls "fog time" when in a place like that. And sometimes since I can use short pieces of log that won't do for furniture, operations like this have wood on hand that they can't use and I can.

And I am always looking for connections for wood, especially big wood. Thanks for the tip.

Edit: Andrew, I just looked at your profile and see you are a turner as well. Here's a pic of some smaller pieces of mine that came out of a pin oak log on Mercer Island that rbTree left for me and Andy a while back. I cut some blocks and Andy milled some boards.

http://www.billluce.com/bigimages/oak_trio_desat.jpg

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=43275&page=3

 

[B_Turner]

hmmm.. Dennis.. I can't use JB Weld, but you can use a file lolololololol


Hey Bill - If it's important, I can turn turn them down real nice on my lathe... Then you use rings to adapt them out to any big mount bars

The oversized repair studs from the 056 might just fit anyhow... I'll have to check though.

Sounds an interesting possiblity, Andy. Would the oiler holes still work out?

I have to get out there sometime and check out your 088 closer than I have, would like to feel it running in my hands.

Also I picked up a 5100 carb insert ring in case you have misplaced the one you had (given I have taken so long to get out there).

 

[Lakeside53]

I still have the ring insert

 

[Dennis Cahoon]

hmmm.. Dennis.. I can't use JB Weld, but you can use a file lolololololol


Hey Bill - If it's important, I can turn turn them down real nice on my lathe... Then you use rings to adapt them out to any big mount bars

The oversized repair studs from the 056 might just fit anyhow... I'll have to check though.

Lakeside.......Maybe you should buy an old welder and fix up......Hahahahahaha!

 

[Cut4fun]

B Turner, how about the 72" or 84" from GB for the large mount stihls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/72-GB-Ti-Chains...8540991QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/84-GB-Ti-Chains...8540434QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

 

[B_Turner]

B Turner, how about the 72" or 84" from GB for the large mount stihls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/72-GB-Ti-Chains...8540991QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/84-GB-Ti-Chains...8540434QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

Good find, although those are longer than I have in mind. For me ideal will be around 54 inches, and 60 inches would be the max. Have only seen 50 and 60 available anymore in this range, though.

I looked around on that site a bit more and did find shorter bars for a Husky. A decent price, a bit cheaper than a Canon. But at this point I intend to run 3/8 chain, and I don't really want to swap out the sprocket. Haven't made up my mind for sure, but my grinder needs a little fiddling to do .404, and my chain is so sharp I think in the range I am thinking, 3/8 will be fine. For example, my 066 pulls my 42 inch bar very well. If I order a Canon/WP I can choose 3/8 or .404.

On a different note, I am not experienced with ultra long bars (>60) but it seems like a bit more belly would be nice than showing in those pics your linked to. Or maye it's a persective thing, as 72 inches may make the bar look flatter.

 

[bcorradi]

Good find, although those are longer than I have in mind. For me ideal will be around 54 inches, and 60 inches would be the max. Have only seen 50 and 60 available anymore in this range, though.

I looked around on that site a bit more and did find shorter bars for a Husky. A decent price, a bit cheaper than a Canon. But at this point I intend to run 3/8 chain, and I don't really want to swap out the sprocket. Haven't made up my mind for sure, but my grinder needs a little fiddling to do .404, and my chain is so sharp I think in the range I am thinking, 3/8 will be fine. For example, my 066 pulls my 42 inch bar very well. If I order a Canon/WP I can choose 3/8 or .404.

On a different note, I am not experienced with ultra long bars (>60) but it seems like a bit more belly would be nice than showing in those pics your linked to. Or maye it's a persective thing, as 72 inches may make the bar look flatter.

Yeah he is the guy i was referring to in post #8 (Jeff Sikkema). When I talked to him a while back he did have some long 3/8" bars also, so you may want to email him.

 

[B_Turner]

Yeah he is the guy i was referring to in post #8 (Jeff Sikkema). When I talked to him a while back he did have some long 3/8" bars also, so you may want to email him.

I may wait until 2008 to buy a bigger saw for tax reasons (although 2 months seems like a long time once the bug has bitten), but I may email him just to check it out. Thanks for the info.

 

[B_Turner]

B Turner, how about the 72" or 84" from GB for the large mount stihls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/72-GB-Ti-Chains...8540991QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/84-GB-Ti-Chains...8540434QQihZ013QQcategoryZ85915QQcmdZViewItem

Sort of a bump. (I'm still jazzed by the bigger saw bug, so go easy on me. I am trying to figure out what I want so I can be ready to go first thing 2008 (tax reasons))

Anyone have an opinion on these long GB bars and how little belly they have? Also they seem to have an extra small nose, and I don't think they would plunge cut as well as a big nose. I occasionally bore with my 42 inch bars, and probably would occasionally bore with a longer bar (although even at 42 inches accurate boring is not trivial, so longer may not be practical.) I am leaning toward springing for a Canon bar, although they only come in 50 and 60 and I would prefer 54 inches which seems an ideal compromise for how I would use it but I can't find it for these saws (maybe used?)

Also I am still a bit undecided on whether to stick with 3/8 (full skip square) on a long bar (50 to 60 inch range) rather than .404 because 3/8 works so well for me on my current 42 inch bars. I've never run .404 and it sounds like it tends to cut a little slower than 3/8 but is the teeth are noticeably tougher. Seems like 3/8 would bore a little better, too, so that is the pitch I am leaning towards. I welcome any more opinions on that, too.

 

[2dogs]

I don't think I have the strength to bore with a 60" bar. I have a 42 for the 394 but that's it. I would like an 084 or 088/880 but that is for another discussion.

My limited experience with 404 chain says you need BIG POWER. It cuts a wide kerf and really wants to make chips. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[B_Turner]

Both are early to mid 90's technology... 3120 is not smoother and the 880 has more grunt. And ... the 880 has no coil limiters AND it has an H screw in the carb... yes, the 59 inch bar is available... nice bar, on par with any out there. Try my 088 someday.

To show my ignorance, the 3120 does not have an adjustable HS jet? How does that work out?

I searched and found people talking about 3120s running like 9k. The spec sheet says 12k max, so isn't that what the coil limit is on the newer 3120s?

I received PMs that said to stick with .404 with really long bars to avoid breaking chains.

 

[Ed*L]

I occasionally bore with my 42 inch bars, and probably would occasionally bore with a longer bar (although even at 42 inches accurate boring is not trivial, so longer may not be practical.)
QUOTE]

I would highly recommend not even thinking about bore cutting with a 60" bar. Long bars like lots of support when you are cutting, if you turn the saw sideways you can kiss the chain goodbye. Any sideways cuts must be started with a shorter bar, then switch to the long bar after you have support.
They are also very "whippy", you don't hold it over a log tach it to max rpm and drop it on the log. I always set the saw on the log, slowly start the cut and after the bar is in the cut, then open it up and let her eat.
There is one hell of a difference going to a 60" bar from a 42". It's a learning curve that doesn't have much room for error before chains start flying off.
I will also recommend a roller chain catcher instead of the aluminum thingie, they are much easier on the chain when it does come off.

Ed